Sudokuaholics Anonymous 11

ETA for my new bull being delivered is 1 hour from now.

I'm so excited!

The new bull is here. He's even more wonderful than the pictures and videos I saw of him!

Congratulations, Heidi!

Hello, Everyone! And Good Night!

I had my one month (from first eye surgery) check-up today. Everything is healing ideally. I will still need glasses for long distance, but the eyesight is vastly improved from what it has ever been. My eyesight, for a few feet, is 20/20 without glasses! Considering that before the cataract surgery I couldn't see anything on the dashboard of my truck... not speedometer, fuel gauge or anything else... it's a miracle.

Gemma paid her first visit to the Vet Clinic today, and charmed everybody.

Wonderful news about your much-improved vision, Heidi! Also great news about your new bull and Gemma's first visit to the Vet Clinic!

Has your new bull already been named?

Spring is finding it hard to get here. The last couple of weeks we have had one day around 60 degrees F, and the other days in the mid 30's to low 40's. We had some snow yesterday and again last night - just enough to cover the ground, then melt. They're predicting the same for next week. I guess I shouldn't complain, as it has been a relatively mild winter.

Thinking of Everyone and sending {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, healing energy, positive thoughts, prayers, and for All! Take care and stay healthy!

His registered name is: FCF Profit Packer 207. Not the most inspirational name, but I can live with it. He doesn't know any call name yet.

Two of the last three cows gave birth today. Only one cow left to calve.... one of mine. Both calves born today are bull calves.There are only 2 heifers in the whole calf crop.

I don't remember what Rede's registered name was. Do you usually try to use something similar to the registered name?

From what I remember from past years, it's unusual to have so few heifers. Will you keep any of this years calves?

Thinking of Everyone and sending healing energy, , prayers, positive thoughts, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}} for All!

Rede was SLGN Redeemer. I'll probably just call the new bull ''Packer''.
I want to build up my herd, but I only have one heifer calf this year.... so far. I'm keeping her. I'm hoping that #12 has a heifer, but I'm not holding my breath. Mike's Black Angus bull seems to produce a LOT of excellent bull calves. The high percentage of bull calves is unusual. Usually, the breakdwn is 50/50. But they're outstanding calves and should bring in a lot of money after they're weaned and backgrounded.

Caught another skunk in the barn last night. This is a really big one, and it's mad. I'm going to have to give it a while to settle down before moving it out of the barn to shoot it.

I got the skunk, in trap, out of the barn safely. But it's in a rage right now (it's the first time I've ever heard a skunk vocalize. It's making a combination of squeals and grunts like a pig!) and I need to let it calm down a little so I can get close enough for a clean shot to put it down quickly.

Done. It turned out to be a pregnant female. It looks like she was about to have her babies in my horse barn. Right under the Alpaca pens. That's ALL I needed!

DorA - I liked what you said on Easy:
[F]or all our foibles, we are a pretty tight 'loose-knit' group...

Geez, Heidi - Ya missed your chance to have de-scented skunks to sell. I understand they can be good pets...

Plum, your washer / dryer recommendation is working well. Thanks.

Glad to hear it, DorA.

A rainy day with intermittent thunderstorms. I'm taking advantage of it to catch up on my sleep.

Hi and to Everyone!

Wow, Heidi! I can't imagine what it would have been like if the skunk had her babies in the barn. It seems as if your farm draws skunks for some reason. Or maybe you're the only person in the area trying to control their presence, in which case any neighbors should be thanking you.

It's getting late and I'm having trouble staying awake. Thinking of Everyone and sending , healing energy, positive thoughts, prayers, and {{{{{HUGS}}}}} to All!

I sorted out the last cow due to calve (#12) today, and put her in with the new bull for companionship. She isn't due for at least 2 more weeks.... maybe longer.... so she can be used to teach him to come to feed when called. It's a concept he is unfamiliar with. She'll enjoy getting the feed, as well. She's been the last cow to calve for several years, so if he gets her to breed back before he's put in with the rest of the cows, it'll be a good thing. And now we can manage the rest of the herd, who have calves at their sides, without having to check her.

I'm amazed at how good I've gotten at handling skunks without getting sprayed. Shocked, even!

I love coming here and reading 'The adventures of Heidi'. And that's not tongue in cheek. I occasionally read them out to Col if he's home. We were discussing how you had so many bull calves this year and wondering how rare that was. Sure enough a few posts down was more on the subject. Not to mention the skunk! Always an interesting read. Thanks Heidi!
No news from this end of the world. We are going into Autumn from a very wet summer. Not too cool yet but it's nice to have cooler nights. Got a case of man flu in the house. Lucky I had my Flu needle early this year, a day before he developed it! Good timing.
Greetings to all and hoping all is well with you!

Tomorrow there is the first annual Alpaca Spring Fling. It's a statewide event for anybody interested in alpacas. All sorts of seminars, displays and door prizes. And it's less than half an hour from me! I can even sell my fleeces there!!! I'm going to have a blast. Mike knows I'm going so will keep an eye on the farm. The only bad part is that the weather will be miserable. Possible snow flurries and sleet. And COLD. The alpacas won't mind since it's too early to start shearing them.

Heidi, your weather sounds like ours today. The sun has occasionally played peek-a-boo from behind the clouds, but mostly we've been dealing with rain, sleet, and snow. The ground is covered with snow again, but it has melted off the street and sidewalk.

I hope Packer quickly learns from cow #12 how to come when called for feed. That should help to streamline the feeding process.

Have fun at the Alpaca Spring Fling!

I agree with CynB about how fun it is to learn about the ins and outs of Heidi's life and her farm.

CynB, I'm sorry to hear Col has 'man flu.' Here's hoping he recovers quickly. It's a good thing you had your flu shot!

Thinking of Everyone and hoping you're all well! Sending positive thoughts, healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayers, and for Everyone! Take care and stay well!

The alpaca event ended up being outdoors in 34˚F / 1.1˚C temperatures, with intermittent sleet. I had intended on staying through the entire event, but only lasted 4 hours before I froze. I did buy a lot of alpaca stuff, mainly socks and gloves.... some for me and some for gifts. I didn't get my fleeces sold because I learned that I'd handled them wrong and lowered their value. Now I know how to do it right, and will this Spring. I'll just sell the inferior ones I have on Craigslist.

Dramatically different day today. Sunny and warm (it's 68˚F / 20˚C right now, and no wind). I got the lawn mowed for the first time this season.
I'm now on Cria watch. Noel is due to have her cria (baby alpaca) any day now, altho' my gut feeling is that she's still a week away.
Cow #12 looks several weeks away. She's working wonders on Packer. Instead of running from everything new (which was what he was doing) he's now watching her reactions and sticking with her. I'm hoping that he'll come to me for feed in a couple more weeks. Meanwhile, #12 is enjoying being spoiled by getting fed sweet feed at the end of her pregnancy.

Heidi, too bad it was such a yucky day for the alpaca event! It's also too bad the first fleeces weren't prepared correctly and you won't be able to sell them. Luckily you learned the correct way at the event.

Wonderful news that you'll soon be welcoming a cria! And that cow #12 is helping to 'domesticate Packer' during the wait for her calf.

Thinking of Everyone and sending healing energy, {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, prayer, powerful positive thoughts, and to Everyone! Stay well!

I can sell the mishandled fleeces elsewhere, but for a drastically reduced price.

I am SO glad I got the lawn mowed yesterday! Not only does it look good, but the rain has started again. It's supposed to rain, with thunder boomers for the next 3 days. And with warm temperatures returned, the grass growth in the next 3 days will be rapid. The lawn would have been unmanageable after that.

I decided to switch my avatar to one of Noel, who's the next member of the menegerie due to give birth. My best guess is that she has 4-5 days to go. The suspense id killing me.
I saw her breeder at the Alpaca event, and told her that Noel is getting very big and very close. She still has both of Noel's parents and is as curious as I am to know what color the cria will be. Due to her genetic makeup, every single color that alpacas come in is possible. Though white markings are unlikely. I'm hoping for either a dark fawn or a medium brown (Hunter's color). Or even a dark rose grey like the sire of the cria, Samuel. I'm also crossing my fingers that it's a female.

I nearly had a heart attack a little while ago. I went out to the barn to close things up for the night and feed the cats. I walked into the feed room and a skunk was in there and it ran right at me! It was a smallish one, probably a female, and it had no odor to it, so it has never sprayed before. Probably the same one I encountered in the feed room a few months ago. I'm going to have to find a place to position the trap to catch that bugger. It isn't going to the other end of the barn where I've been putting the trap. I saw where it ran to, and I'll set the trap there tomorrow.

Last night was the Night From H3LL. Timmy has gotten old and senile and is losing control, both mentally and physically. Last night there were distant thunderstorms. He freaked, and staggered all over the house, pooping and peeing everywhere. Next time we have thunderstorms forecast (tonight) I'm going to tranquilize him in advance. But I worry about that, too, since he has epilepsy.

At My Age, A trail
of clothes leading
to the bedroom
means I dropped
them on the way
from the dryer...

No cria, yet. And I have no appointments for the next week, so I can stay here to keep watch. I had an appointment at Pain Management this morning, and they had me get an EKG immediately afterwards. Then I swung by Robert's and took him to his pharmacy for things he needed, while on my way home. I was hoping I wouldn't miss the birth. I didn't.

We are presently under both high wind advisory and tornado watch. This is not likely to be a pleasant night.

We have an active tornado in my immediate neighborhood right now. I don't know if I'll lose power tonight.

Good one (and possibly true for some of us), DOrA!

WOW, Heidi! You've had a few busy days! Good luck trapping the skunk!

I hope Noel has her little one soon! Here's hoping it will be a healthy female!

Good thing you got your lawn mowed before the rain and nasty weather arrive!

I'm off to bed, as I'm falling asleep at the computer. Sending lots of {{{{{HUGS}}}}}, positive thoughts, prayers, and healing energy! Good Night and stay well!

Not much damage from last night.... except for an enormous old oak tree came down in my horse/alpaca pasture.

I checked out the tree, and it fell just perfectly so the fence had no damage whatsoever. I was very lucky.
But my truck has a completely flat tire, and I cannot lift the spare out of the back of the truck. Fortunately, I have AAA, and they're on their way to do it for me.

Hi all.
Good Friday here. So have a nice Easter if you have anything planned.
As we are not churchgoers, we have a big family gathering, at my place, mainly catered by me because I am a fool! I keep saying no more but I keep doing it. Anyway, the joy of my life is spending time with these wonderful people. I can't wait.
Booked in for my next booster and the squishy thing in early May, I've had my flu shot, so I'm looking after my health. I didn't get Col's Flu, He's still suffering.
Heidi, hope you get that skunk. And I hope the cria comes soon.
Hello to Julie, DorA (good joke), Midge and whoever else is ghosting us.

Easter quote#1
If you see a rabbit laying little brown eggs,
Don't eat them, they're not chocolate.